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Topic: S/O T-giving planning - what do you eat, and where do you live, and... (Read 12034 times)

That fried turkey thing is something I just don't get. I understand it's delicious, but a big part of Thanksgiving Day for me (and probably many others) are the delicious smells coming from the kitchen for hours. The anticipation of that roasting turkey is so good; why cut that off with a turkey can will be cooked in 20 minutes?

I do the thanksgiving dinners because it's just easier for me. I cook waaaaaay more then most of my relatives so either I do it all myself or go over to their house and "help" or "fix" what ever.

I do most sides vegetarian - even though I am not a vegetarian. It just makes it easier for people to avoid what they don't want to eat. I also make everyone's favorite pie. One year it was 18 different pies.

That fried turkey thing is something I just don't get. I understand it's delicious, but a big part of Thanksgiving Day for me (and probably many others) are the delicious smells coming from the kitchen for hours. The anticipation of that roasting turkey is so good; why cut that off with a turkey can will be cooked in 20 minutes?

Because it gives people an opportunity to use a deep fryer, plus a lot of people probably prefer the taste.

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"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends" - Harry Potter

That fried turkey thing is something I just don't get. I understand it's delicious, but a big part of Thanksgiving Day for me (and probably many others) are the delicious smells coming from the kitchen for hours. The anticipation of that roasting turkey is so good; why cut that off with a turkey can will be cooked in 20 minutes?

Because a lot of turkey fryers use propane. Propane equals fire. Many guys I know like to use fire. They grill all the time, just so they can play with fire. A turkey fryer, with the added danger of oil possibly spilling out onto the fire, creating an even bigger fire, is some sort of peak fire-using experience.

My brother bought a turkey fryer. My SIL and her mother carefully calculated the correct amount of oil to use--they put the turkey in the fryer, added water to the correct level, took the turkey out, and marked the water level. All the guys had to do was add oil to that level on the big day.

Well, they did. And decided that couldn't possibly be enough oil, so they added a lot more. These are five men in their 40s and 50s, all with at least one college degree, most with one or more advanced degrees.

Things out on the driveway got pretty exciting for a few minutes.

Fortunately, no one was injured, although someone's hair was singed. And everyone learned a lesson.

That fried turkey thing is something I just don't get. I understand it's delicious, but a big part of Thanksgiving Day for me (and probably many others) are the delicious smells coming from the kitchen for hours. The anticipation of that roasting turkey is so good; why cut that off with a turkey can will be cooked in 20 minutes?

I grew up eating turkeys our dad smoked, so the smell of a roasting turkey doesn't mean T-Day to me. Instead it was the smell of the corn bread dressing, pecan pie, homemade yeast rolls, and the occasional whiff of pecan wood smoke from an open door that got my mouth watering. I only started to enjoy a roasted turkey after I learned to brine them.

Born and raised in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. Married a Northwest Suburbs of Chicago guy.

While his mom was still alive, Thanksgiving was a big turkey, stuffing, giblet dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green been casserole, candied carrots, rolls, candied sweet potatoes (we never put marshmallows on it though) and of course, appetizers for a couple hours before actual dinner, and desserts (I can't put my finger on what they were at the moment).

Since his mom died, however, we haven't (his siblings and us) gotten together for ANY holiday whatsoever. Last Thanksgiving (our anniversary is November 27) we went out to eat by ourselves. My son is in the military so he wasn't able to come home, my step son lives in Minnesota and couldn't get here, and my brother and his wife went to her family. My mom is 3,000 miles away and we'll see her in the spring.

This year, it will be our tenth wedding anniversary at Thanksgiving, so we'll go to our favorite steak place and make it a night just to be thankful for what we have and for each other. It works for us.

Born and raised in southeastern Massachusetts, now living closer to Boston. My husband was born and raised just west of Boston.

Thanksgiving now is, for the most part, just us and our 4 kids, and for the past few years my brother has joined us. One year my nephew came, but he's now married (at the time, he was single and his immediate family live in Florida) and spends it with his wife's family.

Anyway, our holiday is mostly traditional. Every year we have roasted turkey, gravy mashed potatoes, stuffing (made with Bell's seasoning), canned cranberry sauce (just like the Pilgrims ate - complete with the lines all around).

My own additions, which have become traditional, are sauteed pearl onions with brown sugar and dijon mustard, butternut squash with onions and pecans, corn pudding, crescent rolls.

Boston Market makes a cranberry sauce that is to die for. It has walnuts in it, and I love it, but it can be a hassle to go there just for that (the day or two before tend to be extra busy). But it is soooo good - I like it heated up and put over vanilla ice cream.

Dessert is usually my peanut butter pie. I would prefer something more traditional, like pumpkin, but no one else in the family likes it so I don't usually bother. And my kids all say it's not a holiday without the peanut butter pie. Although, this year my husband's birthday falls on Thanksgiving, so we may be having birthday cake. There's a bakery nearby that makes cakes in the shape of a roasted turkey, with little cubes of cake that look like stuffing. Really cool - maybe I'll get him one of those this year.

Oh, and I have to make cranberry orange bread every year. My mother's recipe. And if I have time, I'll also make chocolate chip pumpkin bread. So that will be breakfast for a few days.

When Thanksgiving was a big extended family thing, I used to love to go all out and make a bunch of different pies - there was a mince cranberry pie with eggnog whipped cream, a pina collada pie, custard pie - but it's too much work all at once, especially when I'm doing the whole dinner - when the pies were all I had to make, it was easy!

One year I tried a pumpkin soup recipe - I have special holiday dishes and there were soup bowls, so I wanted to use them. I found the recipe - it was really easy, and there was a cranberry sauce-like stuff made separately that you topped it with. I thought it was really good, but it wasn't that populare with everyone else so I haven't bothered again.

Oh, and to drink, everyone has a Mickey Mouse - cranberry juice and ginger ale.

Smoked and roasted turkey. (now I really want to try champagne turkey)Mashed potatoesYams with marshmallowsGreen bean casserole (really? I am so getting rid of that one this year!)2 kinds of cornbread stuffing. One sweet and one not.broccoli, cheese and rice (DH wants that one gone this year)cranberry sauce (and now I want to make a homemade one this year)

Rather than getting together with extended family (the last time I remember an extended family Thanksgiving was the late 90's when my military cousin came home to visit), my immediate family get together with J & S, who are some close friends of ours.

I have missed this tradition once so far because I was studying overseas a couple of years ago, but I will be missing it this year again because I am going to school far from home. I have no idea what I will be doing this year.

My sister, Mom, J, J's mother, and I help with dishes afterwards. Dad and S will go out to the barn to milk cows. After we are finished in the kitchen, we watch Christmas movies and look through the store flyers for the Black Friday sales.

I grew up and still live in Texas. The Thanksgiving meal that I make is very similar to my mom's menu. Everything is homemade unless noted.

Roasted turkey (big enough for a ton of leftovers - including some to freeze)Gravy Mashed potatoes Cornbread dressingGreen bean supreme (yes, the can of green beans, can of mushroom soup, french fried onions)Corn casserole (I did not grow up with this but my mom began making it when I was in college)Sweet potatoes with the marshmallowsDeviled eggsCranberry sauceCan of Black olives Can of Graber olives (carry over from my mom growing up in California)Rolls (usually something like Mrs. Baird's brown and Serve)

Sometimes my mom would include Waldorf salad or jello with fruit in it

Desserts may vary a bit but usually include at least two fromHomemade pumpkin pie with Cool WhipCherry-O cream cheese piefudgeSometimes my mom would make banana pudding (my dad's favorite)

When my in law's join us, my mother in law might bring creamed onions and an oyster roll.

When we eat at my mom's, I usually do not bring anything different since my menu is from her. I do bring some ingredients though. We stay overnight so I make the deviled eggs at her house the night before and simply help wherever needed.

When we visit my in laws, I bring deviled eggs and cranberry sauce (both at my mother in law's request). I have offered dessert or any other item before but she declines. Just as I have my preferred methods of prep, she has hers. Our results are very different. I help wherever needed according to her direction.

I don't tend to have new people over for Thanksgiving. I would though, welcome any additions to my existing menu from any guest. I do not want to replace my items though.

I am from Ohio, Dh from Michigan. We have lived in Florida for 25 years or so.

I miss the traditional Thanksgiving meals I grew up with and so does he. We both work retail and have to be at work very early the next day and stay almost all day.

When DS was younger we did have the turkey, stuffing, cranberries, cheese onions, green bean casserole, rolls, scalloped oysters, and sweet potatoes.

DS is very picky, very picky and so on. So we have a very boring menu now. Mashed potatoes, cranberries, rolls, steamed green beans. It is just not worth the effort anymore because of our work schedules.

Born and raised in southern Oregon, I now live in eastern Canada. Thanksgiving is of course in October here, but being an American living in Canada basically just means I get two Thanksgivings, one in early October and one in late November .

Growing up, we ALWAYS had: Roast turkey Stuffing (the kind from a box, with nuts and onions and celery and at least a stick of butter) Cranberry sauce (Dad would always make it with great ceremony and then try to get out of doing dishes "because I made the cranberry sauce!". Mom and I, who'd done the rest, would glare at him and he'd sheepishly go clean the kitchen) Mashed potatoes Brussels sprouts, sauteed in butter with shallots and pecans Pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream

Now, I make basically the same things, although I usually make tarte au sucre in addition to pumpkin pie, a nod to my current French-Canadian milieu. Also, tarte au sucre is delicious .

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Born in PA, lived in NJ most of my life. Parents moved to VA about 7 years ago,and now its just Mom and me. While they still lived here, we went to friend's every year, and had turkey etc etc etc. Neither mom or I is a huge fan of turkey.

After my parents moved, we still did turkey, etc. ourselves, and the last Thanksgiving with my dad, who was the cook in teh family, watching as mom, my cousin and I cooked (he was recovering from radiation and wasn't up to it)

After that, mom and I still made turkey etc. as we had family and friends come, but never a huge group. a couple years ago, we decided no more and went out. She had duck and I had steak. Last year I didn't go as I didn't have much vacation time left, and I preferred to save it for Christmas. I also had to work at my PT job on black friday, so I made my own, non-traditional, non-turkey dinner of beef rouladen, spatzle and some veggies.

This year I'm staying home again, having at least one, if not 2, friends who don't have any family. I'm doing a chicken rather than turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and veggies etc. and something yummy for dessert. I'm going to have fun planing out the menu!